


Out of Time -ON HIATUS-

by KTRex



Category: Avengers (Movies), Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Also kinda my pitch for the Falcon and Winter Solider tv show, Angst, Avengers: Endgame spoilers, Basically I just change the last Steve scene, Bisexual Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes has a therapist, Bucky and Sam are in a time traveling buddy cop plot looking for Steve, Bucky is dealing with trauma and that’s okay, Fix-It, Flashbacks to First Avenger, Flashbacks to post-Civil War, Fluff, Gay Bucky Barnes, M/M, Post-Avengers:Endgame, Rating will be updated, Time Travel, as will characters and tags, bad title is bad, cause wtf was that, sam and bucky are bros
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-29
Updated: 2019-05-14
Packaged: 2020-02-09 20:53:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18645916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KTRex/pseuds/KTRex
Summary: With Thanos defeated, Bucky and Steve are ready to settle down and start living. But Steve has to return the Stones first. When it goes wrong, Sam and Bucky have to team up to find him, using the Quantum Realm to find Steve and bring him home.





	1. Prologue

Bucky was back. The feeling of turning to dust was a distant memory, and it was finally over. Well, almost over. There was one more thing. Tomorrow, Steve had to return the stones to their rightful places. Bucky was worried. He’d been worrying about Steve his whole life, even after the serum. He didn’t even have a good reason. Steve had made the trip to get the stones, and nothing catastrophic happened to him. But maybe Steve wasn’t coming back. After a couple hours of staring at the ceiling, Bucky couldn’t take it anymore. 

The guest room Pepper had given him was only a few doors down from Steve’s, and Bucky needed to talk to him. He knocked softly on the door. When there was no answer, he knocked again, a bit harder. He was considering using his metal arm when he heard a shuffling noise behind the door. Steve opened the door a crack. 

“Bucky? It’s like, three in the morning, go to bed.” 

“Can’t sleep. Can we talk?”

“You know what, I’m already up. Come on in, pal.” 

Steve opened the door wider, showing one sleep-deprived super solider, shirtless, with pajama pants low on his hips. 

Bucky tentatively sat on the bed, looking at Steve.

“So, what’s the problem?” Steve asked, plopping his butt in a chair near the window.

“You’re bringing the stones back tomorrow.” 

“Mjolnir, too. Past Thor’s going to need it, as much as I like using it.” 

“So what are you going to do after you put them back?” 

Steve gave him a puzzled look. “What do you mean, Buck?” 

“You could go back, to just after you went under the ice. Live a life, I don’t know.” 

Steve knit his eyebrows together. “Why would I do that?”

“You could have that dance with Peggy.”

“ I do owe Peggy a dance, but staying there? Come on, Buck. I’m happy here. With you.”

“With me?”

“With you till the end of the line, remember? Doesn’t look like the end of the line yet. Although, I’m thinking about giving Sam the shield. Don’t think I need to be Captain America anymore.” 

“So what will the former Captain America be doing?” Bucky questioned. 

“Spending some time with my best guy sounds nice.” Steve smirked. “Remember right before you shipped out, and we-“ 

Bucky remembers. About two days after his numbers came up, he and Steve had shared a bed, same as they used to when Steve was sick. But it wasn’t to keep Steve warm, like it had been then. It was just keeping him close, keeping him safe before he had to leave. Bucky liked girls fine, they were fun to be around. But he only went out with them cause it was something guys did. When he was alone and needed to blow off steam, he usually thought about Steve. And that night, while he was holding Steve close, Steve lips had brushed his for about half a second. Bucky assumed he had dreamt it, and everything with Peggy just reinforced it. After the train, after HYDRA, after everything, he and Steve had never talked about it.

“I do. I didn’t think you remembered.”

“I’ve always had a good memory, Buck. One more reason I’m not staying with Peggy. I’ve got somebody I love right here.”

Steve leaned forward and kissed Bucky. This was so much better than the first one. There was no way Bucky could mistake this for a dream. Steve was here, he was real, and Bucky was kissing him. 

“Now do you believe I’m not going anywhere?” 

Bucky smiled. “Might need a little more convincing.”

“Happy to, doll.” 

By morning, Bucky believed him. Steve was coming back. 

When they came out of Pepper’s house, holding hands, Sam and Bruce were already waiting for them. 

“Hey Cap, you ready?” Bruce said.

“Just a minute, Bruce.” Steve pulled out the repaired shield Shuri had made for him. “Hey, Sam. I wanna give you something.”

Sam’s jaw dropped. “You’re not gonna-“

“I think he is, Sam.” Bucky said, a gleam in his eye.

“Bucky and I are gonna take a trip, maybe see Europe again, now that this is all over. The world still needs Captain America, though.” 

“I can’t accept this Steve, it’s too much.”

“Yes, you can. You’re the only one I trust to take good care of it.”

“He’s not backing down, Sam. I’d just take the damn shield.” 

Sam laughed. “Alright, I’ll take the shield. You better visit, see if I’m still using it right.” 

“Definitely.” 

Bruce sighed “Are we doing this? That lady on the roof, she was very clear the stones needed to get returned.” 

Steve gave Bucky a quick kiss on the cheek. “Yep. How long is this gonna take?” 

“A couple hours for you, 5 seconds for us.”

“Sounds good. Don’t do anything stupid until I get back.”

“How can I? You’re taking all the stupid with you!” 

Steve laughed. “See you in a bit.”

Steve stepped on the platform, took a deep breath, and vanished.

“Five…” Bruce counted. “Four…” Bucky felt that dread again. But Steve promised, didn’t he? He was just worrying, like he had been since Steve was tiny. “Three…Two…One!” Bruce flicked a switch. 

Steve wasn’t there. A few more seconds of horrible, horrible silence happened. 

Then Bucky broke. “Where is he, Banner?”

“I don’t know. I had him, but he’s not there anymore!” 

“You don’t know? Where could he have gone?” Bucky was yelling now. 

“Maybe his tracker malfunctioned! He could be anywhere!” 

“How do we get him back?” 

“I can’t get him back unless I know where he is! Someone’s gonna have to look for him!” 

“Fine, get me one of those suits.” Bucky growled. 

“You could get lost too, it’s too much risk!” 

“We can’t just leave him, Bruce. I’ll go with him. Safer with backup, right?” Sam said, way too calm for the situation. 

“That’s definitely less dangerous, but how will you even know where to look?” 

Bucky cleared his throat. We start with the places Steve was already going, see if he got stuck there, then branch out.”

“That’s still a lot of ground to cover.”

“I’m not fighting over this. We’re gonna go get him.”

Bruce ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll keep an eye on you guys. You come back as soon as you find him.” 

Sam reaches up, nearly on his tiptoes, to put a hand on Bruce’s shoulder. “We promise. We’ll bring him back.”

A day later, with everyone informed about what happened, Bucky and Sam are suited up, ready to go bring Steve home. 

Sam squeezes Bucky’s hand. “Let’s go find your boy.” Then they’re pulled into the quantum realm.


	2. New York, May 2012

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky and Sam find themselves in the aftermath of the Chitauri invasion. The Time Stone is intact, and they run into a familiar face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: I refuse to watch Doctor Strange for personal reasons (Namely not giving Benadryl Cummerbund money) so the Ancient One is based entirely off YouTube clips and her brief appearance in Endgame. I am sorry if I got something wrong with her.
> 
> Also, this chapter (and the next) are pretty Bucky-centric. I’m sorry for all the people reading this for Sam. I promise, I have good shit planned for him.

Bucky remembered making Steve ride the Cyclone. It was a little like the quantum realm. Except time travel was so fast his face felt like it was peeling off. And he wasn’t strapped in to anything. Really, the only way it was like the Cyclone is that it nearly gave him whiplash. At least time travel hadn’t gotten him vomited on. 

The quantum realm deposited them in a New York alleyway. Being in New York was always strange for Bucky, like meeting an old friend. Parts of New York were familiar, but there was always something a little off. The alleyways, however, hadn’t changed much. Enough that he recognized he was in the 21st century, but not enough that he couldn’t imagine pulling his skinny punk of a best friend out of them. 

“Welcome to New York, circa May 2012.” Sam smiled. “The sky fell and the Avengers caught it.”

“Where were you, during all this?” Bucky smirked. 

“Afghanistan. Didn’t know what happened here ‘till a couple days later. If you don’t mind answering, where were you?” 

“Most likely? In cryo. Don’t really remember a lot of what the Soldier did beyond the stuff everybody knows.”

“Guess that’s for the best.” Sam shrugged. “Wait. Does that mean you don’t remember the steering wheel?”

“The what?” 

“On the bridge! You stuck your arm through my windshield and ripped out the steering wheel!” 

“Honestly, all I remember from the bridge is Steve. But noted, I owe you a steering wheel when we get back.”

“HYDRA owes me a steering wheel. You don’t owe me anything, man. Anyway, we know Steve was here, returning the Time and Mind Stones. Might want to talk to the people he gave them back to.” 

“Banner said something about a lady on a roof.” 

“Yep, she’s got the Time Stone. Off to 177A Bleecker Street, Tin Man.”

“And you know this, how?” 

Sam pulled out a crumpled sheet of paper. “I’ve got a list. All the stones, plus Mjolnir.”

“Lead the way, Wilson.”

Of course, even as weird as New York is, a guy with wings and a metal armed super-soldier couldn’t walk through it without attracting some attention. So more alleyways it was. Fine by Bucky. New York had always been loud, but like a lot of things in the present, it was taken up to 11. Bucky took a look around the carnage. The city had really been through Hell and back with the Chitauri. Of course, the Avengers, Hulk especially, had done a fair amount of the damage, but all of it was salvageable. Bucky had seen it with his own eyes. Sometimes Shuri had shown him things, helping him get adjusted after she and the other Wakandans had gotten those damned words out of his head, and he loved looking at pictures and maps of New York. The therapist that had helped him after cryo, but before he moved on to the farm, Cebisa, had said it was normal for him to seek out the familiar, though it was a bit complicated by the fact his “familiar” was over half a century ago. 

“So where do you think he is?” Sam said.

“What?” 

“Steve. Where do you think he ended up?”

“As much as I’d like to believe he’ll be waiting for us with the Time Stone, Steve has never made anything in my life easy. Second I left him alone, asshole signed up for a super-solider program and jumped on a grenade.”

“Grenade? I’ve seen the photos of him pre-serum. Sounds like one of those little dogs that think they’re big.”

“Exactly. I sometimes wondered if Steve actually knew how small he was.”

“I get the feeling he knew, he just didn’t care.”

“Probably.”

It had been a long time since a walk down memory lane hadn’t been painful for Bucky. For a while, all he could think about was the Soldier. 71 years of being a weapon didn’t just disappear, even after the trigger words did. He’d gotten better of course, but sometimes he still remembered. Even his memories with Steve eventually led to the train, where he couldn’t reach Steve in time. He remembered one of his conversations with Cebisa. 

“What would have happened if you took his hand?” She said.

“Well, I either would have pulled him down with me, or gotten back up.”

“And then what?”

“HYDRA would have gotten two soldiers. Or Steve would…”

“He would what?”

“I don’t know. Maybe we both would go down in that plane, or maybe he’d leave me behind.”

Cebisa took his hand. “You don’t know. There’s no point dwelling on could have happened. What matters is moving forward, healing.”

And here Bucky was, literally in the past. 

“Hey, we’re here.” Sam pointed to a tall apartment building, breaking Bucky out of his memory.

“So, this is where the Time Stone is. Let’s go ask about Steve.” 

Sam knocked on the door. There was no answer. 

“Hello? We need to ask you about a guest you had.” Bucky called.

“Well, that doesn’t sound menacing at all, going into someone’s home and interrogating them.” 

“Not interrogating, asking. Do you want to find him or not?” 

“I do, trust me, but we can’t do that if she doesn’t let us in.”

“Who are you looking for?” A voice behind the door suddenly said. “I thought I would have no more visitors today, between Banner and the captain.” 

“My name is Sam Wilson. He’s Bucky Barnes. We’re looking for Steve Rogers.”

“Well, have you checked Stark Tower? The man just fought off an alien invasion.” 

Now she was playing with them. Bucky could hear it in her voice. “You know that’s not who we’re looking for, ma’am. Don’t play games.” 

“Is that a threat, Mr. Barnes? You have no idea who I am, do you?”

“You guard the Time Stone. Banner borrowed it, and Steve brought it back.” 

The door flew open, revealing a bald woman in white robes.

“I am the Ancient One. And you are not from this time.” She cocked her head.

Sam interrupted. “We just need to know if he was here. We’ll leave you alone. We don’t want anything but information.” 

“Very well. Come in.”

She led them into a front room, filled with strange pedestals and three chairs.

“Sit down. I will tell you.”

Bucky and Sam sat in the chairs nearest to the door. The Ancient One perched herself on the remaining seat, folding her fingers together.

“Steve Rogers, the one you know, was here not long ago. He returned the Stone, just as Banner said he would. He did stay and talk for a bit. I get so few guests.”

“He say anything about where he was going?” Sam said.

“Beyond returning the Stones and the hammer, no. He did say he was returning the Mind Stone next.”

“Stark Tower, then.” Sam said. “Returning the scepter.”

“To himself, in fact. If you want to find him, it seems you’ll have to talk to his past self.”

Bucky ran a hand through his hair. “Well, I’m supposed to be dead, and he doesn’t know Sam yet. This should be interesting.”

Sam laughed. “Let’s try not to scare him too bad.” 

The Ancient One stood up. “It seems you have a task ahead of you. I wish you luck. I cannot tell you what you will face, but I know it will not be easy.” 

“Thanks. Come on then, to Stark Tower we go.” 

As they walked out of the building, Bucky felt like something was wrong, like he had before Steve disappeared. 

“We should probably lay low, Sam. Talking to Steve may not be the best idea.” 

“Do you have a better plan? I agree, we need to lay low, but we know Steve was here. It’s our only lead.”

“Alright, so how are the most prolific assassin in history and a man with wings going to walk into Stark Tower, and demand to speak with Captain America.”

“We don’t walk in. We go on the roof.”

Before Bucky had time to react, Sam had extended his wings and scooped him up, bridal style. This was so much worse than walking in. He was going to fall. He was going to fall, just like the train. At least when he fell this time he’d die. That was better than losing an arm and getting brainwashed, definitely.

Sam noticed him tensing. “Oh shit, I’m sorry. Hang on. I’m not going to drop you.” 

“Yeah, that’s real comforting. Just fly fast, okay?” 

A few agonizing minutes later, Bucky was on normal, safe solid concrete. Specifically the concrete of Stark Tower’s roof. He was hunched over, hands on his knees, and breathing hard.

Sam rubbed the back of his neck. “I forgot what happened. Pretty reasonable to assume you have a thing about heights, now that I think about it.” 

“I’m fine if I’m on solid ground. Not having ground under me just reminds me of what happened. Just give me a warning next time.”

“Got it. So, what’s the plan?”  
“We take the elevator, find Steve, and you ask him what he knows.”

“Why can’t you ask him?”

“Better if you just say you’re a friend from the future. I’d just freak him out, especially with the arm.”

“Point taken. Let’s do this.”

The Chitauri attack had done a number on the security system, so the elevator was accessible on the roof without any clearance. Bruce’s list said Steve had taken the scepter from his past self on level 18’s walkway. It seemed like as good a place as any to start. That is, until the elevator doors opened, and Bucky and Sam found themselves face-to-face with an entourage of SHIELD agents. And Bucky decided at that moment, something somewhere must be out to get him. Because at the head of the agents was none other than former World Security Council head and handler of the Winter Solider, Alexander Pierce.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GUESS WHO SET A DEADLINE AND STUCK TO IT? THIS ADHD MESS! So, yeah, updates are probably going to be regular on Mondays. Though, I’m graduating high school in two weeks, so I’ll probably have more time to write once my AP tests and school are over. I’ll just leave you with the promise Sam and Bucky are kicking HYDRA ass next week.


	3. Catharsis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky and Sam meet old enemies and an old friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I’m late. In my defense, this week I have three presentations, a final exam, and an AP test. Thanks for waiting!

Of all the people Bucky and Sam could have ran into, Alexander Pierce was definitely the worst. Pierce was a constant presence for the Soldier, always watching, giving commands. Bucky knew, logically, that Pierce had not always been there, but he was the cruelest handler Bucky remembered. None of them had been kind, but the better ones had treated the Soldier as a curiosity, an experiment. With those men, there had been no torture besides what was necessary to keep him in line, if only because they feared damaging the asset’s abilities. Pierce had been a sadist. Even when the Solider did what he was asked, Pierce punished him. Pierce relished in the control, the power. Really, it was no wonder he wormed his way into a position on the council. He had used the Soldier’s victims as stepping stones. And Bucky was fucking pissed about it. 

Pierce’s wrinkled face screwed into a frown. He turned to the man at his side, someone who Bucky also recognized. He was the man who prepped the Soldier for missions and cryo. 

“Why is it here? Who authorized this?” Pierce growled. “We have the scepter, no violence necessary.” 

Pierce’s lackey darted his eyes between Pierce and Bucky, stuttering. “I d-don’t know, sir. It’s supposed to be in cryo.” 

Pierce blinked. “Soldier, report.” 

“No.” Bucky smirked. This was going to feel very, very, good. 

“We need to jog your memory a bit, then?” Pierce smiled. 

“Longing, Rusted, Seventeen, Daybreak, Furnace, Nine, Benign, Homecoming, One, Freight Car.” The lackey recited the triggers by heart, probably from years of experience. Fucking asshole. 

“Now, Solider, are you ready to comply?” Pierce was still smiling when Bucky punched him in the face. 

“Nope.” Bucky almost laughed, watching the lackey’s expression. “My name’s Bucky, asshole. And my friend Sam and I are going to tear you Nazi sons of bitches a new asshole.”

Thank God for Shuri and the Wakandans. Ignoring those words felt so good. But this would feel better. 

Sam had grabbed the assistant by the shirt, and was unfolding his wings. 

“You cool if I throw him out the window?” Sam asked. 

“Fine by me, I’ll deal with Pierce.”

 

With that, Sam crashed through the window, still carrying the man. 

Pierce was still on the floor, nose most likely broken, but had managed to signal a few agents with stun batons. Their assassin may have gone rogue, but they weren’t going to kill him. Bucky had no similar hang ups. He had killed for these men, so it was time for some karma. A big guy, almost Steve-sized, swung at him, but Bucky managed to catch it with his metal arm. As he struggled, Bucky kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying into a nearby desk. Whatever. Stark Industries had money to burn, they wouldn’t mind some broken furniture. One of the other guys grabbed Bucky by the waist, trying to pull him away. He managed to get an elbow in the man’s gut, loosening his grip, and drove him into a nearby wall. Bucky heard the ugly crack of his attacker’s skull against the concrete, and a louder thump as he hit the floor. The last agent pulled a knife from his vest and ran at him. He dodged the clumsy swipes, drawing his own knife. Wouldn’t be a fair fight, but Bucky wasn’t the sympathetic type. The man over extended his next swing, and Bucky used the opening to stab him in the throat, blood spattering over the polished marble floor. 

Pierce was sat against a support pillar, holding his nose and cussing. Bucky strode over, the lines between Bucky Barnes and the Soldier muddled. He brought his boot down on to Pierce’s kneecap, shattering it. Pierce howled in pain. 

“My name is James Buchanan Barnes,” he said, leaning down to Pierce’s eye level. “You don’t own me anymore.” Bucky drew his pistol, and set the muzzle between Pierce’s eyes. Pierce was whining like a dog, desperately repeating trigger words. Bucky laughed. “Sorry, those don’t work on me.” 

And he pulled the trigger. 

Sam landed gracefully, no assistant in sight. “Dropped him off about 5 stories above an alleyway. Not like he didn’t deserve it.” 

“Ok. That was significantly more complicated than we planned. Now, let’s find Steve and the scepter before they send someone up here.” 

Sam’s face went ashy.

“What? You didn’t think they’d send backup?” 

Sam stayed frozen, looking over Bucky’s shoulder.

“Bucky?” Oh god. This was bad.

Bucky turned around to see Steve Rogers, Captain America, circa May 2012. Two years before the Winter Soldier would be assigned to kill him.   
“Steve. It’s… good to see you.” He scratched the back of his neck. “I can explain, it’s just, complicated.”

Steve straightened. “I’ve had a really strange day. Are you really, um, you?”

“Your name is Steven Grant Rogers, you were born in Brooklyn, your mom’s name is Sarah, and when we were 6 I met you getting beat up in an alley.” 

“Which alley?”

“Between the deli and the movie theater. Someone was giving you shit about being Irish, so you kicked him in the shins.” 

“He told me you were alive. I didn’t believe him.” Steve wrapped his arms around Bucky. “How are you alive?” 

“Long story, Stevie. Who told you I was alive?”

“Well, I did, sort of. Another me. Looked a little older, though.”

Sam interjected. “Maybe you should sit down, Cap.”

“And who are you?”

“Sam Wilson, 58th Rescue Squadron.” 

“Pararescue? Alright.”

Steve picked up a chair that had been tipped in the fight. “So, what’s going on?”

“Um, we’re from 2023.” Sam muttered.

Bucky gaped at him. “Are you crazy? Don’t open with that!” 

“Well, we have to tell him at some point. Why not rip the band-aid off?”

“2023, like, 11 years from now?” 

“Yeah, Stevie. Time travel.”

“The future keeps getting weirder.”

“Oh, you haven’t seen anything yet. Some billionaire’s gonna launch a car into space for absolutely no reason.”  
“Can we focus?” Bucky said. “Steve, I survived the fall. HYDRA found me, patched me up, and did a clean wipe of my memories.”

“We stopped HYDRA. We should have found you.”

“You know what Project Paperclip is, Cap? Basically the U.S. recruited Nazi scientists. Not our proudest moment.” Sam said. “HYDRA regrew inside of SHIELD.” 

“Cut off one head, two more take it’s place.” Steve seemed dazed. “Schmitt told me that. Just thought it was megalomania.” 

“They used me as their personal assassin. Steve, I killed so many people for them.”

“Oh God, Buck.”

Bucky could feel a hysterical edge seeping into his tone. “2014, they send me to kill you. Steve, you said my name and I didn’t even recognize you. I nearly killed you.”

“But you’re you again. You got away.”

“Only because you helped.”

“So why are you here, Buck?”

“Our Steve, the one from 2023, was returning the Infinity Stones. Very long story short, they’re rocks that can do impossible shit. One of them is in Loki’s scepter. He was doing fine, and then we lost him. We’re looking for him.” Sam added.

“So that was the other me.”

“You talk to him?”

“Just told me Bucky’s alive, and gave me the scepter.” 

“So no new leads.” Bucky put his head in his hands.

“I’m sorry. I’d help if I could.”

“We need to get going. See you in a couple years, Cap.” Sam began to input data on his device. 

“Wait. Buck, where do I find you?”

Bucky smiled. “I don’t know. I’m probably a human popsicle in a HYDRA base right now. I’ll come to you. With you till the end of the line remember?”   
Steve hugged Bucky one last time, planting a kiss on his forehead. “I’ll do that again in a couple years. I promise.” 

“Looking forward to it, Stevie. Don’t be late.”

Sam pushed the button.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This time next week I’ll be done with high school, so more frequent updates maybe?


End file.
